Organic chemists build molecules that find application in various aspects of everyday life, from pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals to dyes, plastics and fragrances1. To do this, they use an extensive toolbox of chemical processes. One particularly useful classic example converts molecules called anilines into a wide range of products, but there’s a catch: this process involves making notoriously explosive intermediate compounds. Writing in Nature, Tu et al.2 report a practical and versatile alternative protocol that provides a safer way to use anilines as substrates in organic synthesis.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-03730-0
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Competing Interests The authors declare no competing interests.
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